Match-machine.



M. KOERT.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25.1914.

1,145,200. Patented July 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH $0.. WASHINGTON, D. C

M. KOERT.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN FILED AUG-25, 1914.

L IT 6n H i m J".- d 8 m m ow P MARTIN v."KOJilRTi, OF PASSAIQ. NEWJERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO SALVATION MATCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A,CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MATCH-MACHINE.

Application filed August 25, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN KOERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Passaic, Passaic county, New Jersey, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Match-Machines, of which the following is afulLclear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to improvements in match machines and moreparticularly to the so called station; that is the mechanism by whichthe splints are separated from a mass and inserted in a carrierpreparatory to dipping them in the paraffin and firing compositions.With machines of this type much difficulty has been had at thisparticularpart of the machine because many of the splints are wasted andthey are very likely to become more or less entangled and interfere withthe proper working of the mechanism.

The object ofmy invention is to produce a very simple and efiicientmechanism by which the splints can a be inserted in the carrier and toarrange and construct this mechanism so that it'can be easily reached,so that it can ,be'easily adjustedto' the end that the splints mayalways register with the parts of the carrier intended to receive them,and further" to construct the apparatus so that the splints arepractically certain to be inserted in the right relation and withoutclogging in the carrier.

A further object of my invention is to construct the guiding devicesand-combs of the plungers in such a manner that they may be instantlyand easily adjusted to bring the plungers into correct alinement withthe holes or corresponding parts of the carrier; to construct andarrange the shaker so that the splints are practically certain to beshaken into the guide comb in correct relation and to arrange the partsso that if any splint or splints become displaced it will not interferewith the workm of the apparatus. 1

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar reference characters indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a broken plan view of the structure embodying my inventionshowing the same in its correct relation with the carrier; Fig. 2 is adetail plan view ofthe shaker; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section ofSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6 1915.

Serial No. 858,529.

the shaker; Fig. lis a cross section on the line 41 of Fig. 1; and Fig.5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

The machine has a suitable frame 10 which is part of the general matchmachine and extending across this frame is a plate 11, one portion ofwhich, that is the part farthest from the carrier 16,hereinafterreferred to, is slotted on its upper side to form a series ofguideways'l2, in which slide the plungers 13, each plunger havingpreferably a reduced end portion 14 (see Fig. 5) on which a match splintmay rest. These plungers 13 reciprocate horizontally in alineperpendicular to the carrier 16. which,

asillustrated, has holes 15 in which the splints are severally inserted.

The carrier 16 can be any approved form of carrier and in match machinesit-is customa'ry to make this'an endless carrier and the splints, afterbeing inserted, are car ried forward and dipped in various compositions.The means of moving the carrier and of holding the splints is notpertinent, however, to my invention which .relates wholly to the meansof placing the splints in the carrier. The carrier is usually driven byscrewsl7 on shafts 18 (see Figs. 1 and 4) but I have not shown thedriving mechanism as it has nothingto do with this case.

The plungers 13 are arranged in parallel relation so as to aline withthe splint holding parts of the'carrier 16 and they have preferably adove-tail connection as at 19 (see Fig. 5) with a cross head 20, whichreclprocates in the machine frame and which at the sides and ends hasrearwardly extending arms 21, carrying rollers 22, which enter theslotted ends 23 of the rocking arms 24, which are pivoted on a shaft 25,carried by the main frame 10. The lower ends of the arms 2a merge ineccentric straps 25 on the eccentrics 26, which are carried by the shaft27. Thus, it will be seen that the rotation of the eccentrics will rockthe arms 24 and move the cross head 20 and plungers 13 backward andforward so that the plungers can carry forward the splints and insertthem in the holes 15 of the carrier 16. In

practice, this reciprocating mechanism is timed so that the plungerswill move forward with their splints when the carrier 16 is in aposition to bring the hole 15 or corresponding parts into alinement withtheplungers, but I have not shown this timing mechanism as it is commonto all match machines of this type. It will be understood, too,-that theparticular means of reciprocating the plungers can be changed without inany way affecting my present invention.

The plungers 13 have their splint carrying portions 14 moving through aguide comb formed by slotting the upper portion of part of the plate 11to produce the teeth or guides 28 which are preferably rounded on theirupper edges as shown at 28 in Fig. 4, so that the splints which lieabove them and which are'moved back and forth by a shaker to bepresently described, will fall readily between the teeth 28 so as to lieupon the parts 14 of the plungers. As the splints are carried forward bythe plungers' 13 they also move between parallel. guides 29 which arearranged near the carrier 16 and which are relatively high so that asthe carrier moves forward the splints will be guided by these parts andprevented from tipping in a manner to bring their outer portionstogether. These guides 29 are carried by a plate 30 with which they varepreferably integral, and this plate is attached to the plate 11 alreadyreferred to. The plungers'13 also slide beneath a cross bar 31 which isparallel with the plate or bar 30 (see Fig. 5) but is spaced aparttherefrom so as to provide clearance for the splints as they drop. fromthe: shaker 39, hereinafter referred to, upon the plungers 13. The bar31 serves to guide the shaker and it also binds in place a hood 32 ofsheet metal which extends across the top of the plungers and preventsany loose splints from dropping into the plungers or adjacent mechanism.The bar 31 also serves to prevent the plungers 13 from being thrownupward by contact with any displaced splint.

The plungers 13 are inclined to wear slightly in the plate 11 and thecarrier 16 is also inclined to stretch a little so that occasionallyadjustment is necessary to bring the plungers 13 into proper alinementwith the holes 15 or analogous parts of the carrier. It is often quitedifficult to keep this adjustment absolutely perfect, which is essentialto good work. To provide for this I support the plate 11 on verticallyadjustable brackets 33 which are arranged on opposite sides of themachine frame 10 and are preferably in the form of channel irons. Thesebrackets are slotted vertically as shown at 34 in Fig. 5 and move onbinding studs or screws 35. The brackets can be instantly adjustedvertically by means of the screws 36 which extend through the lowerparts of the brackets and also are threaded into the ledges 37 on theframe 10. Thus, it will beseen that by adjusting the screws 36 the plate11 can be vertically adjusted and asthis carriesthe guides .for theplungers and also the plate 30 with the guides I the shaker.

29 it will be seen that the whole plunger guiding mechanism can beinstantly and accurately adjusted.

The splints are held in mass above a shaker 39 in any suitable manner sothat they will drop horizontally downward into This shaker has agenerally rectangular open frame which slides transversely on the bar 31and plate or bar 30, having preferably a recess fitting a rib 38 on'thecross plate or bar 30 to prevent any displacement of the shaker. Theshaker is traversed at frequent intervals by vertically arranged crossplates 40 and 41, the latter being higher than the former and theseveral plates being spaced apart a distance less than the length of thematch splint. Thus, as the shaker moves backward and forward it willshake the splints into parallel relation and into parallel relation withthe plungers 13, while the higher cross plates 41 will cause the splintsto tip down so that their ends will enter between two adjacent platesand thus prevent them from lyingflatwise on the shaker top and cloggingthe feeding action of the machine. The shaker can be reciprocated in anysuitable manner. I prefer the meansshown in which the shaker, at oneend, has a projecting bracket 42 and at the other a. bracket/13. Thebracket 42 carries a roller 44 which runs on the face of a rotating camwheel 45, which imparts motion to the shaker in one direction and it isheld against thecam wheel by a spring 47 which connects with anadjusting screw 46 .in the end of the bracket 43 and also with anabutment 48 which rises from the plate 11 while the movementof theshaker is limited by a similar abutment 48, rising from the opposite endof the plate 11. It will be seenthat as the splints fall into theshakerthey will be straightened out by the reciprocation of the latter andwill fall between theteeth 28 of the guide comb in position to lie uponthe part 14 of the plungers 13. As the plungers move forward the splintswhich are thus brought into position will be carried forward beneath thebar 30 between the guides 29 and inserted in the holes 15 of the carrier16. hen the plungers are drawn back the carriersteps forward and a newseries of splints fall upon the plungers ready to be inserted in thenext set of holes.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have devised asimple and very accurate splint inserting mechanism for a match machine,and I have found in actual shop use that this works in a verysatisfactory manner with little loss of splints and with possibilitiesof quick and accurate adjustment.

';,.I claim: 1. Ina match machine, the combination with the splintcarrier and the reciprocating plungers, of guides for the plungers,guiding mechanism for the splints parallel With the plunger guides andnearer the carrier, and means for simultaneously adjusting the plungerand splint guiding mechanism.

2. In a match machine, the combination With the reciprocating plungers,the splint carrier, and guides for the plungers, of means forsimultaneously adjusting the plunger guides.

3. In a match machine, the combination With the reciprocating plungersand the splint carrier, of guides for the plungers, and verticallyadjustable brackets supporting the guides.

4. In a match machine, the combination with the reciprocating plungersand the carrier for the splints, of a plate having one part formed intoguides for the plungers, a second part formed into guides for theplungers and for the splints as they are delivered t0 the plungers, andmeans for simultaneously adjusting both guides.

5. In a match machine, the combination With the splint carrier and thereciprocating plungers, of a guide for the plungers, a guide combparallel With the first guide arranged to receive the plungers, theteeth of the guide comb being rounded on top, and a third set of guidesadjacent to the carrier and in alinement With the first tWo mentionedguides, the plunger guides, the guide comb and the splint guides beingall connected together, and means for simultaneously adjusting the Wholeguide mechanism.

MARTIN KOERT.

Witnesses:

RoB'r. D. KENT, ERIC WINDMILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

